Condensate drainage conduit for steam-heated drum and the like



Oct. 2l, 1969 M MccoURT 3,473,237

CONDENSATE DRAINAGE CONDUIT FOR STEAM-HEATED DRUM AND THE LUKE Filed Dec. 7. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTO/avevi? Oct. 2l, 1969 G, M. MccouR'r 3,473,237

CONDENSATE DRAINAGE CONDUIT FOR STEAM-HEATED DRUM AND THE LIKE Filed nec. 7. 1967 2 sheets-sheet, a

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nited States Patent O 3,473,237 CNDENSATE DRAINAGE CGNDUlT FR STEAlv-HEATED DRUM AND THE LiKE Gerald M. McCourt, 1240 Le Roy Place, Cincinnati, Ohio 45230 Filed Dec. 7, 1967, Ser. No. 688,906 Int. Cl. F26b 11/04; FZS 5/02; F2811 l] /02 U.S. Cl. 34-125 9 Claims ABSTRACT UF THE DISCLOSURE A stationary condensate drainage conduit is disclosed for permitting condensate, which collects in the bottom of a rotating steam-heated drying drum, to be siphoned while the drum is rotating, and transmitted to a suitable condensate receptacle located external of the drum. The condensate drainage conduit includes a rst or intake tube positionable entirely within the rotatng drum, and a second or discharge tube partially insertable Within the drum through a bore located concentric with the drum axis. The tubes are flexibly connected to permit them to be selectively positioned between an operative position wherein the tubes are angled to permit the intake tube to have its free end adjacent the lowerrnost portion of the drum wall to siphon condensate collecting thereat, and an inoperative position wherein the tubes are coaxial to permit them to be freely inserted and withdrawn from the drum via the axial bore. A lock bar is positioned within the discharge tube, and has one end connected to the intake tube and the other end connectable to the unconnected end of the discharge tube. The lock bar serves the dual function of locking the tubes in the operative position, thereby preventing undue Wear at the point of connection, and of providing means for retrieving the intake tube without drum disassembly should the flexible connection fail in use and the intake tube become disconnected from the discharge tube.

This invention relates `to condensate drainage conduits, and more particularly to stationary condensate drainage conduits for collecting condensate from a rotating steamheated drum,

Drums of the type in which the condensate drainage conduit of this invention finds particular utility are employed in a number of different industrial applications. For example, drying drums are used in the printing industry where they function to dry the ink applied to the paper as it leaves the printing press. Drying drums are also used in the paper makin@ industry for drying the paper output from the paper making machine prior to its being coiled in rolls or otherwise prepared for shipment.

Typically, the drying drums of the type to which the condensate drainage conduit of this invention relates are hollow, and are heated to the operating temperature by the introduction of steam into the drum interior. In the course of heating the drying drum, condensate necessarily is formed and if not removed, collects in the bottom of the drum.

For optimum edectiveness of the drying drum, the condensate formed in the drum interior must be continuously removed. lf it is not, and is allowed to accumulate, in due time the mass of condensate which develops is sufficient to appreciably decrease the drum speed as well as dynamically unbalance it, tending to produce undue vibration and bearing wear. ln addition, failure to remove the accumulated condensate prevents the temperature of the drum from being elevated much above the vaporization point of the condensate. Since the condensate, which is at a temperature slightly below its vaporization point, is in contact with the rotating drum wall, the drum Wall 3,473,237 Patented Oct. 2l, 1969 is prevented from being elevated to a temperature much above the condensate vaporization point. Should the drum wall temperature attempt to rise above this point, heat is transmitted to the condensate from the drum, vaporizing the condensate. Thus, the condensate, if not removed, draws heat from the drum preventing the drum temperature from rising substantially above that of the condensate vaporization point.

Typically, the prior art proposals for removing condensate from a drying drum of the type described have involved the use of a pair of flexibly connected or hinged tubes. One of the tubes, termed an intake tube, is adapted to be positioned within the drum via an axial bore with its free end adjacent the drum wall where the condensate collects. The other tube, termed the discharge tube, is adapted to be partially inserted into the drum, also via the axial bore. Condensate is removed from adjacent the drum wall by the intake tube as the drum rotates, whereupon it is transmitted by the discharge tube to a suitable condensate receptacle located externally of the moving drum.

The hinge connection between the tubes permits the tubes, which are necessarily angled when operatively positioned in the drum, to be arranged coaxially for convenient insertion and withdrawal. 1f the tubes are not hinged, but rather are permanently angled, it is not possible, without disasernbling the drum, to operatively position the tubes within the drum.

The prior art condensate conduit proposals have been the source of two distinct, but yet related, problems. The rst problem involves the eventual, and often premature, disconnection of the tubes by failure of the hinge connection. This is typically the result of undue hinge wear caused by excessive relative angular movement of the tubes induced by vibration and the like, and once it occurs has the obvious effect of preventing further drainage of condensate. The other problem, induced by the iirst, relates to the difficulty of retrieving the intake tube once it becomes disconnected from the discharge tube, and falls to the bottom of the drum. In the past, when the hinge connection failed, it has been necessary to stop the drum, after allowing it to cool, disassemble it or remove from it an access cover permitting entry therein for tube retrieval purposes, and thereafter, the tube having been retrieved, reasemble the drum and heat it up again.

As will be apparent, the above di'lculties necessitate interruption of the operation of the drying drum each time a condensate conduit hinge fails. This, in turn, causes interruption of the paper making line or printing process in which the drying drum is used, aggravating the problem.

It has been an objective of this invention to provide a flexibly-connected tube drainage conduit for removing condensate from a rotating steam-heated drying drum which is not subjected to excessive connection wear leading to premature breakage, and which if broken permits retrieval of the fallen discharge tube Without the need for disassembling the drum. This objective has been accomplished in accordance with the principles of this invention by modifying the conventional flexibly-connected tube discharge conduit in a very simple, yet unobvious and extraordinarily eifective manner, which reduces relative movement between the tubes, and hence connector wear, while at the same time providing means for retrieving a fallen discharge tube, should the conduit break.

The modification of the conventional exibly-con nected conduit contemplated by this invention includes the provision of a lock bar within the discharge tube of the conduit, which at one end is connectable to the connected end of the intake tube and at the other end is connectable to the unconnected end of the discharge tube. The lock bar functions in a dual capacity. First, it locks the tubes, when inserted in the drum, in their angled operative condition, with the free end of the intake tube adjacent the interior drum wall. This is achieved by tensioning the lock bar and thus urging the connected ends of the tubes together, and serves to prevent excessive tube movement, and hence, connector wear which leads to premature conduit breakage. Additionally, the lock bar, should the connector eventually fail, permits the intake tube to be removed from the drum interior. This is accomplished by merely withdrawing the lock bar which at its inner end is connected to the now unconnected intake tube.

-Other objectives and advantages of this invention will be more readily apparent from a detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view in cross section of a preferred embodiment of the condensate drainage conduit of this invention showing the conduit inserted into the drum with the tubes locked in their angled operative position.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the hinge shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURES 4 and 5 are elevational views of alternate lock bar constructions suitable for use in practicing this invention.

A rotatably-mounted, steam-heated drum with which the condensate drainage conduit of this invention nds particular utility is shown in FIGURiE l. The drum 10 includes a cylindrical shell or wall 11 the ends of which are enclosed by circular discs 12 only one of which is shown in FIGURE 1. Axially extending from the outer surface 12A of the disc 12 is a hub 13. To rotatably support the drum 10, of pair of suitable bearings (not shown) are provided which engages the hub 13 projecting from disc 12 and a similar hub projecting from the other end of the drum (not shown).

Also included lare a stepped diameter shaft 14 and a ball bearing 16 enclosed within a stationary housing 18. One end 14A of the stepped diameter Shaft 14 passes through an opening 9 in the housing 18 and is threaded into the hub 13. The other end 14B of the shaft 14 fits within and rotates with an inner race 15 of the ball bearing 16. Inner race 15 engages shaft shoulder 14C. The ball bearing 16 has an outer race 17 which is secured to the interior of the stationary housing 18. The ball bearing 16 supports the housing 18.

To permit steam to be introduced into the interior 25 of the drum 10 for heating the wall 11 the shouldered shaft 14, hub 13, and disc 12 are provided with concentric bores 19, 20, and 21, respectively. Steam is admitted into the interior 22 of the housing 18 via a port 23 provided in a housing end cap 24 and from there passes into the drum interior 25V via the coaxial bores 19, 20, and 21 of the shouldered shaft 14, hub 13, and disc 12, respectively.

The condensate drainage conduit of this invention includes a first or discharge tube 30 having an intermediate portion concentrically disposed within the coaxially arranged bores 19, 20, and 21, and intake and discharge ends 32 and 34, respectively, interiorly and exteriorly disposed realtive to the drum 10. The discharge end 34 of the discharge tube 30 is preferably threaded into a suitably disposed bore 35 formed in a wall 36 of the housing end cap 24 separating cavities 28 and 29 formed in the housing end cap. With the discharge end 34 of the tube 30 so mounted the tube is cantilevered concentrically within the bores 19, 20, and 21 land the drum 10. As those skilled in the art will appreciate the external diameter of the tube 30 must be less than the internal diameter of the bores 19, 20, and 21 to provide an annular passage 26 for steam to pass from the interior .4 22 of the ball bearing housing 18 into the interior 25 of the drum 10.

The condensate drainage conduit further includes a second or intake tube 40 positionable within the interior 25 of the drum 10. The tube 40 has an intake end 41 and a discharge end 42, and is flexibly connected at its discharge end to the intake end 32 of the tube 30 for movement -between an operative position (shown in FIGURE 1) and an inoperative positioin. In the operative position, the intake end 41 of the tube 40 is positioned adjacent the cyclindrical wall 11 of the drum 10 so as to permit condensate 45, which collects in the bottom of the drum 10, to be siphoned and successively ilow through tubes 40 and 30 into the cavity 28 where it is ultimately discharged into a suitable reservoir or receptacle (not shown) via a port 46 formed in the outer wall of the housing end cap 24. In the inoperative position the tube 40 is disposed substantially coaxially with the tube 30, permitting the connected tubes 30 and 42 to be easily inserted and withdrawn from the interior 25 of the drum 10 through the coaxial bores 19, 20, and 21.

The flexible connection between the discharge end 42 of tube 40 and the intake end 32 of tube 30 is preferably in the form of a hinged elbow 50 shown more particularly in FIGURE 2. The hinged elbow 50 includes a lower one-half section 51 and an upper one-half section 52 which are flexibly connected via a hinge 53. The hinge 53 includes cooperating lugs 54A and 54B projecting from the lower one-half elbow section 51, and a lug 55 projecting from the upper one-half section 52. The lugs 54 and 55 are provided with holes which receive a pin 57 for pivotally mounting or hinging the upper and lower one-half sections 51 and 52 when the lug 55 is sandwiched between the lugs 54A and 54B with the holes aligned.

The mating end surfaces 58 and 59 of the elbow sections 51 and 52, respectively, are angled relative to the axes of their respective one-half sections so as to be in complete contact with each other when the tube 40 is in its operative position, thereby preventing condensate leakage at the joint formed by the elbow sections. To aid the sealing action provided by the mating faces 58 and 59, an axially projecting lip 60 encircling the bore 62 of the lower section 51 is provided which snugly interts, l'when the tubes 30 and 40 are angled, in a circular recess -64 circumscribing the bore 63 of the upper section 52.

A lock bar 70, which locks the tubes 30` and 40 in the operative position and additionally provides means for retrieving the intake tube 40 should it become disconnected, is provided in the condensate drainage conduit of this invention. The lock bar 70, which is preferably fabricated of metal, has an intermediate portion 70C which is disposed substantially concentrically within the tube 30, a rst threaded end 70A which is threadable in a hole 72 formed in the wall of the lower elbow one-half section S1 adjacent the discharge end 42 of tube 40, and a second threaded end 70B which projects from the discharge end 35 of the tube 30 into the cavity 28 formed in the housing end cap 24. The diameter of the bar 70 must be less than the internal diameter of the tube 30 to permit condensate to iiow through the tube.

A fastening or tensioning idevice 74, which is shown more particularly in FIGURE 3, is provided for drawing the rod 70 rightwardly, as viewed in FIGURE 1, to urge the end faces 58 and -59 of the hinge one-half sections 51 and 52, respectively, into intimate contact thereby locking the tube 40 in the operative position shown in FIGURE 1. The fastening device 74 includes a shaft portion 75 adapted to fit within the discharge end 35 of the tube 30 forming therewith an annular passage 76 through which condensate is adapted to ow from the tube 30 into the cavity 28. The fastening device 74 further includes a pair of oppositely disposed radially projecting portions 77A and 77B which are adapted to extend beyond the wall of the discharge end 35 of the tube 3l! to enable the fastening device to engage and abut the tube discharge end when the fastening device is threaded onto the end 70B of the lock rod 70 to draw the lock rod 70 rightwardly and thereby lock the tube 40 in the operative position. Spaces 78 and 79 disposed between the projections 77A and 77B provide communication between the annular passage 76, formed by the shaft 75 and the walls of the tube discharge end 35, and the cavity 28. These enable condensate to pass from the discharge end 35 of the tube 30 into the cavity 28 and thence through the port 46 to a suitably positioned condensate receptacle or container (not shown).

In operation, to insert the condensate drainage conduit into the interior 25 of the drum 10, it is rst necessary to remove the housing end cap 24 from its operative position on the side of the housing 18, disengage the lock rod end 70B from the threaded hole 72, and coaxially align the tubes 30 and 40. With this done, the tubes 30 and 4l) are inserted through bores 19, 20 and 21 intothe interior 25 of the drum 10. When the tubes 30 'and 40 are inserted the desired distance, the tube 30 is rotated until the tube 40 assumes the angled position depicted in FIGURE l whereupon the end 70A of the lock bar 7i) is threaded into the hole 72 formed in the discharge end of the lower hinge member 51. The lock rod 70 is then tensioned by drawing it rightwardly as viewed in FIGURE l. This is done by threading the fastener 74 onto the end 70B of the lock rod 70 and tightening it until the mating surfaces 5S and 59, and the lip 60 and recess 64 of the hinge members 51 `and 52, respectively, are snugly engaged, providing a fluid tight joint between the bores 62 and 63. With the tube 40 locked in the operative position, the housing end cap 24 is `threaded onto the discharge end 35 of the tube 30 and the end cap thereafter mounted to the housing, cantilevering the tubes 30 and 4t) concentrically within the bores 19, 20, and 21 and the drum interior 25. With the condensate drainage conduit so connected, condensate is siphoned from the drum interior 25 by connecting suitable siphon means between port 46 and the condensate receptacle (not shown).

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, various moditicatons may be made in the preferred embodiment described in connection with FIGURES l-3 without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. For example, the lock bar, which is utilized to lock the intake tube 40 in its operative position as well as to permit its retrieval upon failure of the hinge 53, may be fabricated of exible material as depicted in FIGURE 4. Referring to FIGURE 4, the alternative lock bar construction disclosed includes a flexible cable 81, the opposite ends 84 and 85 of which are connected to threaded members 82 and 83. The threaded members 82 and 83 are secured to the exible cable ends 84 and 85 by suitable means such as by inserting the ends 84 and 85 into blind holes formed in the threaded members 82 and 83, respectively, and thereafter crimping the members 82 and 83. Threaded member 82, like its counterpart threaded end 70A of lock bar 70, is threadable in the hole 72 formed in elbow one-half section 51. Similarly, threaded member 83, like its counterpart threaded end 70B of lock bar 70, is threadable in fastener 74. The operation of the flexible cable 81 is substantially identical to the operation of the lock bar 70, and therefore, is not described in detail herein.

Shown in FIGURE 5 is another alternative construction of the lock bar of this invention. This alternative includes a rod 91 having at one end a threaded portion 92 engageable with the fastener 74, and at its other end a hook 93 engageable with an eyelet 94 threadable in the hole 72 of the hinge one-half section 51. In operation, the eyelet 94 is threaded into the hole 72 of the hinge one-half section 51. The rod 91 is then inserted into the tube 30, the hook 93 engaged with the eyelet 94, and the hook crimped to fasten the hook and eyelet. Thereafter, the tubes 30 and 40 are inserted into the drum interior 25. When the tubes 30 and 40 have been properly inserted and oriented in the drum, the fastening device 74 is threaded onto the end 92 of the lock bar 91 to tension the lock bar and lock the intake tube 40 in its operative position.

As will also be understood by those skilled in the art, the manner of tensioning the lock bar may be modified from that shown in FIGURES 1-5; namely, modified to include tensioning by means other than the fastener 74. For example, it is contemplated that the lock bars, 70, 81 and 91 may be provided with radially projecting hooks adjacent their ends 70B, 85, and 92, respectively, which engage the discharge end 34 of the discharge tube 30 to lock the intake tube 41) in its operative position. It is also contempleted that the lock bar may be fabricated of a combination of both rigid material such as bar stock and flexible material such as cable, the exible material being connected to the intake tube 40 and the rigid material being connected to the discharge tube 30 or vice versa.

It is also `contemplated that tensioning of the lock bar may be accomplished by connecting a tension spring to the ends 70B, 8S, and 92 of lock bars 70, 81, and 91, respectively, which tension spring is engageable with the discharge end 34 of the discharge tube 30.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A condensate drainage conduit for a rotatably mounted drum comprising:

a iirst tube disposable axially relative to said rotating drum and having an intake end and a discharge end for communicating interiorly and exteriorly of said drum, respectively;

a second tube positionable within said drum and having an intake end and a discharge end, said second tube having its discharge end flexibly connected to said first tube intake end for second tube movement between an Operative position, wherein said tubes are angled with said second tube intake end disposed adjacent the drum `wall for siphoning condensate for transmission through said tubes exteriorly of said drum, and an inoperative position wherein said tubes are substantially coaxial for enabling said tubes to be inserted and withdrawn from said drum; and

a lock rod positioned within said iirst tube and having one end connectable to said second tube adjacent said second tube discharge end and another end engageable with said rst tube for selectively locking said second tube in said operative position for preventing pivotal movement between said tubes and facilitating retrieval ot said second tube should said tubes become disconnected.

2. The condensate drainage conduit of claim 1 wherein said flexibly connected tubes are hinged.

3. The condensate drainage conduit of claim 1 wherein said one end of said lock rod is threadable in a hole formed in the 4wall of said second tube adjacent its discharge end.

4. The condensate drainage conduit of claim 3 wherein said flexibly connected tubes are hinged.

5. The condensate drainage conduit of claim 4 further including a fastener into which said other end of said lock rod is threadably connectable, said fastener being dimensioned and configured to non-blockingly engage the discharge end of said rst tube thereby permitting said fastener to draw said lock rod axially to lock said second tube in said operative position without blocking the flow of condensate.

6. In a rotatable drum condensate drainage conduit having a first tube disposable axially relative to said rotating drum and having an intake end and a discharge end for communicating interiorly and exteriorly of said drum, respectively, and a second tube positionable within said drum and having an intake end and a discharge end, said second tube having its discharge end flexibly connected to said first tube intake end for second tube movement between an operative position, wherein said tubes are angled with said second tube intake end disposed adjacent the drum wall for siphoning condensate for transmission through said tubes exteriorly of said drum, and an inoperative position wherein said tubes are substantially coaxial for enabling said tubes to be inserted and withdrawn from said drum, the improvement comprising:

a rod positioned within said first tube and having one end connectable to said second tube, and

tension means connected to the other end of said rod for tensioning said rod and thereby locking said second tube in said operative position for preventing pivotal movement between said tubes and facilitating retrieval of said second tube should said tubes become disconnected.

7. The improvement of claim 6 wherein said tension means is a fastener into which said other end of said rod is threadably connectable, said fastener being dirnensioned and congured to non-blockingly engage the discharge end of said rst tube thereby permitting said fastener to draw said lock rod axially to lock said second tube in said operative position without blocking the ow of condensate.

S. A condensate drainage conduit for a rotatably mounted drum comprising:

a first tube disposable axially relative to said rotating drum and having an intake end and a discharge end for communicating interiorly and exteriorly of said drum, respectively;

a second tube positionable within said drum and having an intake end and a discharge end, said second tube having its discharge end exibly connected to said iirst tube intake end for second tube movement between an operative position, wherein said tubes are angled with said second tube intake end disposed adjacent the drum wall for siphoning condensate for transmission through said tubes exteriorly of said drum, and an inoperative position wherein said tubes are substantially coaxial for enabling said tubes to be inserted and withdrawn from said drum; and

selectively operable lock means positioned within said tubes interconnecting said tubes for selectively locking said irst tube in said operative position for preventing pivotal movement between said tubes and facilitating retrival of said second tube should said tubes become disconnected.

9. The condensate drainage conduit of claim 8 wherein said lock means includes a rod positioned within said lirst tube and having one end connectable to said second tube, and tension means connected to the other end of said rod for tensioning said rod and thereby locking said second tube in said operative position for preventing pivotal movement between said tubes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,953,525 4/1934 Young 34-125 2,460,059 l/1949 Bruker -89 X 2,875,527 3/1959 Doane SIL-124 2,978,815 4/1961 Hieronymus 34-125 ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner T. W. STREULE, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 165-89 

